Quick-release steering wheel

Abstract

A quick-release steering wheel for a work vehicle is configured to engage with and quickly release from one or more steering posts in an operator compartment of a vehicle. The operator compartment has two operator stations, each station having a steering post to which the steering wheel can be quickly and releasably attached. In use, the operator can pivot the operator seat in the operator compartment to face one or another of the two steering stations. The operator can quickly move the steering wheel from one operator station to the other without tools by depressing a spring-loaded pin. By removing the wheel from one station and moving it to the other, the operator makes additional room into which he can pivot or slide the seat. This arrangement permits the operator compartment to be made smaller and more compact by positioning the two steering posts and operator stations closer together.

1. A steering actuator comprising:
 a steering post having a groove and a plurality of radially extending splines; the steering post also having a proximity sensor; 
 a steering wheel having a first aperture with a plurality of inwardly facing splines, said steering wheel configured to engage the post; and 
 a quick-release means having a pin configured to engage the groove on the steering post; 
 wherein the proximity sensor is configured to sense the presence of the steering wheel. 
 
   
   
     2. The steering actuator of  claim 1 , wherein the pin is spring loaded. 
   
   
     3. The steering actuator of  claim 2 , wherein one end of the pin extends outside of the steering wheel, said one end accessible by the operator. 
   
   
     4. The steering actuator of  claim 3 , wherein the steering wheel further comprises:
 a hub; 
 a rim; and 
 a plurality of spokes, extending between and coupling the hub to the rim; 
 wherein the hub defines a second aperture, and further wherein the second aperture is configured to receive the pin, and the pin is configured to be depressed by an operator. 
 
   
   
     5. The steering actuator of  claim 4 , wherein the pin has a first position in which the pin engages the post and prevents the wheel from being removed, and further wherein the pin has a second position in which the wheel is removable from the post. 
   
   
     6. An operator compartment for a work vehicle comprising:
 a first steering post having a first proximity sensor; 
 a second steering post having a second proximity sensor; and 
 a steering wheel configured to be removably attached to both the first and the second steering post wherein said first and second proximity sensors are configured to sense the presence of the steering wheel. 
 
   
   
     7. The operator compartment of  claim 6 , wherein the operator compartment is enclosed with a roof and windows. 
   
   
     8. The operator compartment of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 an operator seat, wherein the first steering post is located forward of the operator seat and the second steering post is located rearward of the operator seat. 
 
   
   
     9. The operator compartment of  claim 8 , wherein the first steering post, the operator seat, and the second steering post are on an axial line extending frontward to rearward. 
   
   
     10. The operator compartment of  claim 9 , wherein the seat is configured to pivot from a first position in which the seat faces the first steering post to a second position in which the seat faces the second steering post. 
   
   
     11. The operator compartment of  claim 10 , wherein the axial line is the ventral longitudinal axis of the work vehicle. 
   
   
     12. The operator compartment of  claim 11 , wherein the steering wheel is removable by a quick-release means which does not require a tool. 
   
   
     13. A work vehicle comprising:
 a plurality of steering posts, each post having an associated proximity sensor; and 
 a steering wheel configured to engage said plurality or posts; 
 wherein said proximity sensor is configured to sense the presence of the steering wheel. 
 
   
   
     14. The work vehicle of  claim 13 , wherein the proximity sensor generates an electrical signal. 
   
   
     15. The work vehicle of  claim 13 , further comprising a transmission, wherein the proximity sensor sends a signal to the transmission. 
   
   
     16. The work vehicle of  claim 15 , wherein the signal enables or prevents the transmission from engaging. 
   
   
     17. A retrofit kit for a work vehicle having an operator compartment with a first steering post and second steering post, the retrofit kit comprising:
 a steering wheel; 
 a first steering post adapter, wherein the steering wheel is configured to mount on the first steering post adapter, and the steering post adapter is configured to mount on the first steering post; 
 a second steering post adapter, wherein the second steering post adapter is configured to mount on the second steering post; and 
 a first and second proximity sensor configured to detect the presence of the steering wheel. 
 
   
   
     18. The retrofit kit for a work vehicle of  claim 17 , wherein the steering wheel is a quick-release steering wheel, with a quick-release means for quickly mounting and releasing the steering wheel to and from the first and the second steering post adapters. 
   
   
     19. The retrofit kit for a work vehicle of  claim 18 , wherein the steering wheel has a first aperture, and the first and second steering post adapters are configured to engage the first aperture. 
   
   
     20. The retrofit kit for a work vehicle of  claim 19 , wherein the steering wheel is configured to be slidably mounted to the first and second steering post adapters. 
   
   
     21. The retrofit kit for a work vehicle of  claim 17 , wherein the first proximity sensor is configured to be mounted adjacent to the first steering post adapter, and the second proximity sensor is configured to be mounted adjacent to the second steering post adapter. 
   
   
     22. The retrofit kit for a work vehicle of  claim 17 , wherein the proximity sensors are mechanical switches.